Last Week in the Valley

LAST WEEK IN THE VALLEY

October 13, 2002|The Morning Call

Some of the week's top stories:

ALLENTOWN, LEHIGH

More trouble for ex-priest: A former Allentown Diocese Catholic priest, who was the subject of rumors in Lehigh County, was charged Oct. 4 with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in Texas. Police there say as many as 15 boys may have been victimized. The Rev. Edward R. Graff, 73, was charged in a June assault on the boy. Graff has not been active in the Allentown Diocese since 1988 when he was sent to New Mexico for treatment of alcoholism, according to diocesan spokesman Matt Kerr.

BETHLEHEM AREA

Puzzling killing: A 12-year-old boy carried a rifle into his Lower Saucon Township home Monday, pointed it at his mother who was sitting on a living room couch and shot her in the face, authorities said. Joshua Geier was charged with homicide in the death of Diane Ellen Geier, 41. Police said they don't know why he killed her.

A sour note: Mary Orlando was incensed Monday by a VH1 promo for a documentary series about prison bands, "Music Behind Bars." Christopher Bissey, who killed Orlando's 15-year-old daughter and a friend in 1995 at the Lookout at Lehigh University, is a backup singer. State Rep. T.J. Rooney and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli condemned the state Department of Corrections for allowing the taping.

CARBON, SCHUYLKILL, MONROE

Understaffed, overworked: Already understaffed, Carbon County Children and Youth has lost another caseworker, and the remaining overworked staff will have to supervise 50-60 families. When Rachel Miller left Oct. 4, the agency was left with four caseworkers -- 43 percent below its full staff of seven.

BUCKS, MONTGOMERY, BERKS

Nursing home death: A 91-year-old Pennsburg Manor resident died last Sunday in her room apparently from suffocation, officials said Tuesday. Nurses found Bertha Waters at 4:40 a.m. lying on a mat on the floor of her bedroom with her head between the bed and a bed rail. Police said the death does not appear to be suspicious.

EASTON AREA

In hot water: Judith McCloskey is in trouble with a Northampton County judge for talking about her manslaughter case to the media and missing a meeting with court employees because she overslept the day after she appeared on television. And her lawyer, Gary Asteak, might have been "relaying a falsehood to the court" by saying he was McCloskey's public defender, not her private attorney, to get a free copy of the nearly $2,000 trial transcript, Judge Stephen G. Baratta said Wednesday.

Robbery suspect wounded: An Easton police officer shot and wounded a bank robbery suspect who led police on a chase Wednesday through the West Ward that involved at least 10 shots being fired. Anthony Jones, no age or address given, was struck in the leg and was listed in fair condition that night. He fled into a house at 1023 Lehigh St., where police arrested him.